Coffee, one of the world’s most consumed beverages, has potential antiaging effects.

A recent study in mice confirms a lot of the human studies that aged mice that consumed either caffeine-containing regular or decaffeinated coffee had decreased plasma-free fatty acids (blood fat levels) and increased metabolism which is closely associated with aging, in the liver. In addition, consumption of regular coffee increased the food and water intake, locomotor activity, volume of oxygen consumption, and respiration exchange ratio of aged mice.

Moreover, coffee consumption by the aged population had a positive effect on behavioral energy and lipid metabolism.

Coffee includes a wide array of components that can have potential implication on health including caffeine, chlorogenic acids and diterpenes. The information gathered in recent years has generated a new concept of coffee, one which does not match the common belief that coffee is mostly harmful. While there are still some concerns about coffee consumption during pregnancy and the effects of caffeine on the young (kids), there is a significant positive impact of coffee on the cardiovascular system, and on the metabolism of carbohydrates and fats. It is also important to note that science is not black or white on most topics related to health as there are too many confounding factors to consider. That is why there will never be a definitive study to prove coffee is good or bad.

The good news for those coffee drinkers is that contrary to previous beliefs, the various forms of arterial cardiovascular disease, arrhythmia (irregular heart beat) or heart insufficiency seem unaffected by coffee intake. Coffee is associated with a reduction in the incidence of diabetes and liver disease. Protection seems to exist also for Parkinson’s disease among the neurological disorders, while its potential as an osteoporosis risk factor is under debate. Its effect on cancer risk depends on the tissue concerned, although it appears to favour risk reduction and lowering the risk of cancer overall. Overall coffee consumption seems to reduce mortality and the biggest benefits appear to be as we age. Personally , while it might be beneficial s we age I love the smell but don’t like the taste so I will stick to my tea.

From a cardiovascular standpoint, coffee consumption reduces the risks of type 2 diabetes mellitus and hypertension, as well as other conditions associated with cardiovascular risk such as obesity and depression; but it may adversely affect lipid (fat) profiles depending on how the beverage is prepared, especially if prepared with lots of sugar. Moreover, large epidemiological studies suggest that regular coffee drinkers have reduced risks for mortality—both cardiovascular and all-cause mortality. The potential benefits also include protection against neurodegenerative diseases, improved asthma control, and lower risk of some gastrointestinal diseases. A daily intake of about 2 to 3 cups of coffee appears to be safe and is associated with beneficial effects for most of the studied health outcomes.

Source

http://www.nutritionjrnl.com/article/S0899-9007(17)30005-9/fulltext